Despite standout performances from quarterback Joe Burrow, wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, and defensive end Trey Hendrickson, the Cincinnati Bengals are stuck in a losing season that threatens to keep them out of the playoffs.

As of week 11, Burrow’s stats are impressive enough to make him a contender for MVP. The 27-year-old is leading the NFL with 3,028 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, with just four interceptions.

But despite his incredible numbers, the Bengals have somehow found ways to lose, holding a 4-7 record that places them third in the AFC North, far from playoff contention.

Burrow is the only quarterback since 1970 to lose three games where he passed for over 300 yards and threw three touchdowns without any interceptions. Despite this, the Bengals can’t seem to break their losing streak, even with Ja'Marr Chase’s stellar performances. Chase is the league leader in receiving yards (1,065) and receiving touchdowns (12), and his play should be enough to earn him a Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro honors.

Chase is the only receiver with over 1,000 yards through week 11, and together with Burrow, they've made Cincinnati’s air attack the most potent in the NFL, with 2,890 passing yards. On defense, Hendrickson is dominating with 11.5 sacks in 11 games, making him one of the league's top pass rushers.

With all these strengths, the Bengals should be a playoff team, but frustration is building in the locker room as they continue to lose close games. This was evident in their week 11 game, where they fought back from a 21-point deficit against the Los Angeles Chargers. After tying the game 27-27, two missed field goals cost them a comeback victory, and they ended up losing 34-27 in the final seconds.

Out of their seven losses, only one was by more than 20 points. The others were all tight games, including two by just one point, and one by three, five, six, and seven points. They also lost 41-38 in overtime to the Ravens in week 5. A key factor in these losses has been kicker Evan McPherson, who’s missed crucial kicks in tight moments.

In their loss to the Chiefs in week 2 (26-25), McPherson missed an extra point; against Washington a week later (38-33), he missed a field goal; in the overtime loss to the Ravens, he missed a field goal again; and most recently, he missed two kicks in the loss to the Chargers. Despite the stellar performances from Burrow, Chase, and Hendrickson, the Bengals continue to fall short, finding new ways to lose week after week.